Corkscrew



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERCE MQGARTHY AND PETER THENIS, OF NORTH VERNON, INDIANA.

CORKSCREW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,005, dated May 1,1888.

Application filed October 22, 1887. Serial No. 253,086. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, PIERCE MCCARTHY and PETER THENIS, of North Vernon,in the county of Jennings and State of Indiana, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Corkscrews; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in corkscrews.

Hitherto corkscrews have been constructed with a circular flange orflattened boss on the stem just above the screw-threads, and provided onthe lower face with small teeth or spurs adapted to enter and grip thecork when screwed far enough into the latter, and thereby facilitatingthe turning andextraction of the cork; but disadvantages arise even fromthis form of corkscrew, as the spurs are apt to become clogged, worn, orbroken, and furthermore, particularly when new, these spurs are liableto tear a tender and brittle cork all to pieces.

It is the object'of our present invention to construct an inexpensiveand neat appearing corkscrew which will take a firm grip on the cork, soas to insure'a quick and easy extraction of the latter, at the same timeproducing the slightest possible damage to the cork without anyliability of breaking the neck of the bottle.

With these ends in view our invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts as-will be hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing the figure represents a longitudinalsectional view of our invention.

A represents a handle, preferably constructed of wood and providedaround its middle and ends with rings or bands (1 and b b, respectively,which furnish a support and finish for the handle and prevent the endsfrom splitting. Through the middle of the handle and through aperforation in the middle band the stem B of the corkscrew extends,having its end riveted to hold it rigidly in place. The stem is providedat the end with the regular spiral flange O, tapering to a sharp point,e,

at the extreme end. Adjacent to this screwflange screw-thread D isformed on the stem, and a nut, E, preferably round, is adapted to turnupon the thread, and a moderately thick rubber collar or washer, F,having a recess, f, in its center, receives this nut, the same forming acore, and as the two fit together tightly the washer is carried with itscore on the screwthreads, and hence held securely in place. The rubbercollar or washer preferably has the general shape of a truncated cone,and around its upper portion, in order to give it a finish as well as aproper support, metallic band g is fitted.' A disk, h, mounted on thestem, fits over the top of the rubber, so that the upper portion of therubber is inclosed and held in shape. When the parts are assembled, thecore is sunk nearly to the center of the rubber and held rigidly inplace by the elastic contact of the rubber about it. The rubber isscrewed down to the spiral flange and the band 9 and disk It arranged inplace. Following this the nut H is screwed down tightly over theparts,so that the rubber washer is virtually held betweentwo nuts-itscore and not H.

From the drawing it will be seen that when the parts are assembled thescrew-thread is entirely covered and the core is sunk into the rubberwasher, so that when the latter comes in contact with the cork nothingbut the rubber touches it. As a result of this, the only damagesustained by the cork results from the screw-flange, and the jointbetween the cork and the washer is tight and yet yielding, and with thecombined action of the screw-flange takes a firm grip upon the cork.

In one end of the handle a perforation, I, is formed, and thisperforation receives the tang of a cutting-tool, J. Said tool ispreferably pointed and flat or triangular in section, and provided withsharp cutting-edges, and while designed for cutting the wire, cord, orwrapper about the cork of the bottles may also be employed as anice-cutter, when desired.

It is evident that slight changes, such as substituting a metallic capfor the band and disk or some other yielding material for. the rubberwasher, might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the severalparts described without departing from the spirit a handle, a stem, arecessed rubber washer and scope of our invention; hence we do notmounted on the stem, and a pair of nuts for wish to limit ourselves tothe particular conholding the washer in place, substantially as :5struction herein set forth; but, and for the purpose set forth.

Having fully described our invention, what In testimony whereof we havesigned this we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letspecification inthe presence of two subscribters Patent, is ing witnesses.

1. A corkscrew consisting, essentially, of a PIERCE MCCARTHY. stemhaving an ordinary screw thereon, and a PETER THEN IS. rubber washersecured on said stem, substantially asset forth.

2. A corkscrew consisting, essentially, of

Witnesses:

ALBERT EWAN, GEO. STENGER.

